I can take credit for only a relatively small part of the contents of this
FAQ. Most of the useful information deserves thanks to others. I have tried
to give credit to the right person in the right place by indenting specific
comments by others and citing the authors. My real contribution has been to
cobble together the many useful pieces of information on hedgehogs that have
appeared on the Internet, and elsewhere, into a single source.
With this latest version (3.X), I think the FAQ, and myself, have finally
reached the point where we both know something about hedgehogs, at last. As
part of this rewrite, I've tried to blend in many of the comments that people
have provided, and in some cases, I may have dropped actual quotes from the
FAQ. I want to apologize to those of you whose information has now become
part of the prose, rather than a separate quotation. I've done this to try
and make the information flow better for the reader, and I can promise it has
not been done lightly.
Of all the contributors, I would like to extend a special thanks to Nathan
Tenny whose unofficial hedgehog FAQ formed the foundation for the information
below. Nathan deserves the lion's share of the inspiration on this FAQ, and
should be considered the father of the hedgehog FAQ. Thanks Nathan -- you
saved my first version from just being filled with hedgehog anecdotes,
instead of good information.
I would also like to thank Katherine Long for the encouragement to actually
pull this together, and Pamela Greene for allowing me to use the ferret FAQ
as a guide for the topics and sections below, and many other useful tidbits
of FAQ formatting.
I have a special thanks for Cathy A. Johnson-Delaney, DVM, who as one of the
first few veterinarians who has owned (or is that owned by?) hedgehogs, has
provided some medical info for the FAQ. Thanks for the help Cathy, and for
making me feel a lot better about this pile of babbling.
Thanks to Peter Captijn, who almost single handedly kick-started me into
finally adding the information on European hedgehogs that I've been meaning
to for ages (and who actually contributed most of it) -- may your garden be
overrun by prickly little visitors.
And next to David Mantle for sending me an absolutely amazing wealth of
information on European hedgehogs that will take me a while to wade through
and incorporate all the wonderful tidbits into the FAQ.
Sort of a quick separate thanks to all the hedgehog-happy readers of the
rec.pets newsgroup, and the hedgehog listservers, who have unknowingly added
volumes to this FAQ, and especially to Patty-Anne Lea for boosting my ego
above and beyond measure and letting me know for sure that this creation is
appreciated.
In a general sense, I would like to thank all the people at the N.A.H.A.,
HI, and the IHR for their help and encouragement.
I want to extend many thanks to the contributors who all deserve a round of
applause for what they have contributed: Melanie A. Abell; Ron Adrezin;
Andrew Albinger; Debbie Allen; Jeffery Allen; Debbie Andelin; Tammy Baer;
Lance Barlow; Brenda Basinger; Michael Bell; D. Bishop; Shirley Ann Blakeney;
Dick Brisky, Matt and Renee Butcher; Tom Buzzwo; Eloise Campbell; Christi
Cantrell; Travis Carter; Chingur/Lani Richey; chvall; Teresa Claudino; Wayne
W. Clendenin; Kathleen Close; Jazmyn Concolor; Bill Corner; CowFanatic;
Peyton M. Creadick; John R. Daily; Del, Marcin Dobrucki; Doug Dorer and Mary
Anne; Dave Ehrnstein; Elizabeth Galante; Robyn Gorton; Tex Green; Leslie H.;
Michael Hainsworth; Lynn Hallquist; Sophie Hannan, Kim Heys; Kelly A. Hodge;
John Horton; Stefan Hossack; Steph Hyne; Penny Jackson; Laura Jefferson;
Jerry; Julihana; Melissa Kallick, Marcia Kautz; Kay of Hedgehog Helpline;
Anders Kemi and Siw Bjorkgren; Kirby J. Kerr; Lisa Ladouceur; LeAnne and
Adrian; Julie Leir-Van Sickle and Glen Van Sickle; Zack Lessley; John Lester;
George Lewis; Terri Lewis; Alicia Look; Peter Mack; Melissa Maloney; Rachel
Markey; John F. Masinter; Sharon Massena; Donald Martin; Janet Martin; Mike
McGary; Gerald McKiness; Antigone Means; Melissa and Heather; Melissa-Lee;
Jan Micheel; Elizabeth Jane Monroe; Julie Moor; Tiffany Mross; Willard B.
``Skip'' Nelson, DVM; Mary Novak; John Ofner; Dr. Tetsuro Oka, DVM; Ligia
Ortega; Tim Pearson; Christine Porter; Pam Powers; Vanessa Purvis; Dr. Nigel
Reeve; Todd Reeves; Paul Ritchey; Cindy Rosa, Lisa Rowe; Rick Russell;
Seabury Salmon; Jon Santarelli; Richard Saunders; Matt Scott, Sigrun
Seetrevik; Sheri; Michael Simla; Jon Simmons; Craig Simpson; Shelley Small;
Wendi Smit; Bryan H. Smith; Alexis Sneller; Elyse Spaite; Randy Starcher; Ken
Steigenberger; Pat Storer; Chuck Stoup; Doyle Stradling; Susan & Chia; H.
Swaggert; Teresa; Tirya; Dan Tishman; Barry Turner; Steve Turpin; Anja van
der Werf; Ian Van Natter; Jesse and Kris Welsh; Tom Weston; Kyrstin Westwind;
Linda Wheatley; Janet Willacy; Johnny M. Williams; Dominique Winther; Woobie;
Dawn Wrobel, Jennifer Young-Watson; Kathy and Donald Zepp; and Znofyl; and
last but not least, my resident editor-in-quills and copy-girl Nookie, and
the late, dear Velcro, Sprocket, Hocus, Pocus, Quibble, Bramble, Skewer,
Popeye, Quiver, Pepper, Mimosa, Chestnut, Neon, Nettles, and Noelle.
One last thank you that deserves separate note is to my wife, Betty Gunn for
happily sharing and encouraging my hedgehog addiction, presenting me with
Velcro, and for repeatedly translating this whole thing into English, from
what ends up being little more than a mish-mash of spelling mistakes and
punctuation that bears no resemblance to any language from this planet.
If there is anyone I have missed, you have my apologies, and please let me
know. I hope that the list above will continue to grow over the coming
years.

User Contributions:

Hi, my hedgehog started running around her cage squealing so I took her out to see what was wrong. Her genital area was inflamed and she had open sores all around that area. I gave her a bath, but I'm really worried about her. Do you have any idea what this could be?
Thank you!

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